ITTA BENA — Before the game even started, as Jackson State made its way back to the locker room after warm ups, a few Mississippi Valley State players went over to the Tigers and started talking.

Players from both rival sides started shoving each other and jumping up and down. Even some coaches got involved.

“We took that personally when they decided to run over to us,” running back Jordan Johnson said.

So the winless Tigers began the game with even more incentive than before to beat the Delta Devils, and they didn’t waste it.

Jackson State controlled the game throughout and finally broke through. The Tigers beat Mississippi Valley State 24-5 to win their first game of the season, making them 1-7 on the year and 1-3 in SWAC play.

“I’m elated for the young men who had the opportunity to go out and know what it feels like win again,” coach Tony Hughes said.

It’s been a year of frustration for Jackson State. There have been close games it couldn’t finish and demoralizing blowouts, but Hughes just kept preaching that they were building the culture and things would pay off. It’s been over a year since the Tigers last won a game, and Saturday they got to see the year of work show in some results.

Hughes said the momentum started last week against Southern. The score didn’t show it, but he was pleased with their performance. They started playing unselfishly, he said, and they started playing as a team.

He thinks that momentum carried into this week.

“It’s a credit to our kids and our coaching staff who never quit or wavered in the process,” Hughes said. “They believed in the plan we have.”

Jackson State tailback Jordan Johnson runs away from a Southern defender Saturday night at Memorial Stadium(Photo: Kentrice Rush / Special to the Clarion-Ledger)

The offense compiled 331 yards for its best performance of the season, and the defense held Mississippi Valley State to 105 yards and three points. The other two points were from a botched snap for a safety.

The Tiger pass rush was in the backfield all day, forcing at least four sacks and far more pressure. Linebacker Andre Lloyd said that was a focus all week.

Lloyd said Hughes was even getting extra involved, running into 300-pound linemen with a hand shield to show what they wanted to do. That focus seemed to work.

Lloyd also couldn’t deny the pregame scuffle added a little motivation for the defense.

“I was really proud of myself for knocking them all night,” he said while laughing.

The game was 7-3 at halftime with the Tigers in control but struggling to take over. They stopped wasting those chances past midfield in the second half. Quarterback Jordan Williams proved himself as the quarterback, and Johnson finished with 160 yards rushing and three touchdowns.

Coaches in the press box were able to joke, “We finally made it” after the final fourth-quarter stop. Players had to be rushed into the locker room because they were hanging out on the field. Who could blame them?

It was the first cold Mississippi day of the fall, and it was the first Jackson State win in a year. They were going to enjoy it for a little bit before preparing for next week.

“It was just a beautiful moment,” Lloyd said. “Going 0-and-anything is not Jackson State.”

Jackson State tailback Jordan Johnson tries to break a tackle Saturday night at Memorial Stadium.(Photo: Kentrice Rush / Special to the Clarion-Ledger)